AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn women's basketball team will play its last home game before the holiday break Sunday afternoon when the Tigers host Bethune-Cookman. Game time is 2 p.m. CT at Auburn Arena.
The first 250 fans will receive a free Aubie Claus beanie. In addition, Aubie Claus and Santa Claus will be attendance. Tickets are available at the Auburn Arena box office or online by visiting AUBTix.com.
Auburn (4-5) is back in action for the first time since Dec. 7 after taking the last week off for final exams. In their last outing, the Tigers got an outstanding performance from junior Unique Thompson with 31 points and 15 rebounds, but Auburn fell on the road at TCU 80-65.
Bethune-Cookman (6-1) defeated Division II side Palm Beach Atlantic 68-45 in their last game. The Wildcats were picked to finish second in the MEAC this season after winning the league tournament and making their first NCAA Tournament appearance last season. This will be the first meeting between Auburn and Bethune-Cookman in women's basketball.
Brit Bowen and Larry DiChiara will call the action on WTGZ 93.9 FM and online at AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Tigers app, beginning at 1:45 p.m. CT. Fans can also hear the radio broadcast along with the arena video board feed on SEC Network +, which can be accessed via WatchESPN or the ESPN app.
QUICK HITS
• Daisa Alexander is 19 points away from 1,000 in her career
• This is the first meeting between Auburn and Bethune-Cookman in women's basketball
• The Tigers are 16-1 against current members of the MEAC
• Unique Thompson has nine double-doubles in nine games this year, which leads the NCAA; she has 29 career double-doubles, which ranks 4th in Auburn history
• Thompson is the only player in NCAA Division I with a double-double in every game her team has played this year
• Thompson scored 31 points at TCU, her career-high and the 39th individual 30-point game in Auburn history
• Thompson's 31-point, 15-rebound effort was Auburn's first 30-15 game since Dec. 19, 2008, when DeWanna Bonner had 30 points and 16 rebounds vs. George Washington
• Daisa Alexander is 7th in the SEC in scoring (15.4 ppg) and fifth in steals (2.6/game) (as of Dec. 12)
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
›› Get Auburn back to .500 overall.
›› Improve Auburn's home record to 3-1.
›› Boost Auburn's all-time record against current MEAC opponents to 17-1.
AUBURN-BETHUNE-COOKMAN SERIES
›› This is the first meeting between Auburn and Bethune-Cookman in women's basketball.
›› Bethune-Cookman will be the sixth current MEAC opponent Auburn has faced. The Tigers' last game against a current MEAC school was in 2017 against North Carolina A&T.
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN
›› Bethune-Cookman is 6-1 on the year, 4-1 against Division I opponents. The Wildcats' only loss so far was a six-point setback to Troy.
›› The Wildcats rank among the nation's leaders in defense, holding opponents to 52.7 points/game (13th NCAA) and 34.8% shooting (39th NCAA). Offensively, B-C averages 69.0 points per game.
›› Daniella Hatcher leads the Wildcats with 13.1 points per game. Hatcher and Tatum Hayes are 3-point threats; Hayes has made 20 3-pointers in seven games (2.9/game), which ranks 46th nationally.
SCOUTING AUBURN
›› Junior forward Unique Thompson has nine double-doubles through nine games, averaging 19.1 points and 12.3 rebounds; she is the leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer in the Southeastern Conference. She has 29 career double-doubles, which ranks 4th in Auburn history and second among active SEC players.
›› Senior guard Daisa Alexander is the Tigers' second-leading scorer through nine games, averaging 15.4 points/game. She scored 22 points in the opener vs. Wofford and 17 vs. Old Dominion while playing point guard, a position she has played sparingly throughout her career. She poured in 20 points at UAB after returning to the shooting guard position and has four games this year with 20+ points. Alexander also ranks fifth in the SEC in steals (2.6/game).
›› Sophomore Brooke Moore, redshirt sophomore Kiyae' White and freshman Annie Hughes all earned their first collegiate starts vs. Wofford in the season opener. Moore scored 15 points in each of the first two games, Hughes hit double-digits in the first two games, and White scored a career-high 12 in the win over St. Joseph's.
›› Moore scored a season-high 20 points at South Alabama, hitting 4-of-6 3-point attempts.
›› Freshman Lauren Hansen earned her first career start at UAB on Nov. 21 in her second collegiate game. Hansen followed that up with an 18-point, 4-steal performance in a win over St. Joseph's, then a 24-point, 4-assist day against Drake where she made seven 3-pointers.
UP NEXT
›› Auburn will play its final non-conference game of the season Saturday, Dec. 28, when the Tigers host in-state rival Jacksonville State. Game time is 2 p.m. CT at Auburn Arena.